Diffusionless crystal growth in a eutectic system during rapid solidification

Abstract

Experiments on nonequilibrium rapid eutectic growth are surveyed. The applicability limits of the modern theoretical models describing rapid solidification of binary systems are assessed. A problem of rapid eutectic growth when the local equilibrium is violated in the solute diffusion field (in the bulk liquid and at the solid-liquid interface) is formulated. An analytical solution to the problem of rapid lamellar eutectic growth under local nonequilibrium conditions in the solute diffusion field is found. It is shown that the diffusion-limited growth of a eutectic pattern ceases as soon as a chemically homogeneous crystalline phase begins to grow when the critical point V=V _D is achieved (V is the solid-liquid interface velocity and V _D is the solute diffusion speed in the bulk liquid). At V ≥ V _D, eutectic decomposition is suppressed and the nascent homogeneous crystalline phase has the initial (nominal) chemical composition of the binary system.